A number of panelling systems are known which rely on a framework and have cover members supported either side of the framework for defining a more pleasing appearance of the panel. Such a panelling system is disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,577.
With the need to transmit data more quickly and effectively, the use of fiber optic cables has become common. Electrical signals are converted to impulses of light which are carried through fine strands of glass or plastic to another location, with these fine strands of glass or plastic forming part of the fiber optic cable. At the receiving end, the light pulses are converted back to electrical pulses such that the receiving equipment can interpret these signals in the normal manner. Fiber optic cables allow many more signals to be transmitted at the same time through optical fibers that can be transmitted via copper wire. A further advantage of the optical cables is that the signals being transmitted are not subject to interference from other sources, i.e. adjacent power cables, airport radar, etc. One disadvantage of using fiber optic cables is with respect to bending and the quality of the signal decreases with each bend. The generally accepted rule for bending optical fiber cables is the radius of the bend must not be less than ten times the outside diameter of the cable itself. Therefore, if the cable diameter is one quarter inch, the minimum bending rate is ten times one quarter inch which equals two and one-half inches. Often the cables are much larger and therefore the radius of the bend must be substantially higher.
Standard approaches for carrying of electrical cables are not suitable as often the radius of curvature for the transition from one panel to another panel disposed at an angle to the first panel is too great if the bend is maintained in the horizontal plane.